Ekiti Kete,
By this time tomorrow, it will be four years since you gave me your mandate in the Governorship election that took place on June 18, 2022. In another 72 hours, on Saturday, June 20, 2026, we will be returning to the poll to cast our votes to elect the Governor and the Deputy for another term in office.
As you are all aware, I am the candidate of our Great Party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the governorship election. I will be standing for election with my running mate and reliable partner, Chief Mrs. Christianah Monisade Afuye. With her, I will be contesting with other Ekiti compatriots who have equally been put forward by their various political parties as our challengers.
Since electioneering began in the current political season, I have moved round the State to seek your support for a renewal of mandate. I have met various interest groups, associations and communities. My team and many volunteer groups have also consistently knocked on your doors and appeared in your abodes to seek your support for our candidature and that of our party.
Just yesterday, our party’s highest echelons, led by the President, represented by the Vice President, Sen Kashim Shettima. GCON and the National Chairman of our Great Party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda were here to drum support for our party and to seek your renewed support for our re-election.
At every call, you have not stopped to openly and passionately express your preference in our candidature by turning out in large numbers in all our campaign rallies. I have also continued to receive words of solidarity, support and prayers from the stakeholders of our State from far and near.
I, therefore, want to express our profound appreciation to all Ekiti people, home and abroad, for your fervent support and generous endorsement of our aspiration for a renewed mandate.
Ekiti kete, you would recall that during the 2022 electioneering, I campaigned on a Six Point Agenda which later crystalized into the Six Pillars of our Administration. Since we got into government on October 16, 2022, we have centered our policy and programs on the six pillars including: Governance, Youth Development and Job Creation, Human Capital Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, Infrastructure and Industrialization and Arts, Culture and Tourism.
I am glad to remark that we have kept our promises on these Pillars. Good governance is the bedrock of development. We have therefore promoted institutional reforms, transparency and accountability, training and capacity development, peace and security, bilateral and multilateral relations, and constant engagement of stakeholders, labour and intergovernmental relations. All of this has led to sound policy decision and impactful policy actions that have led to improved service delivery and orderly governance across sectors in our State.
Our administration’s investment in youth development, through various programs and economic empowerments, have been remarkable. Our commitment to job creation could be seen in the employment of over five thousands young people in the various vacancies in government positions. Just last last week, the Vice President turned the sod for the construction of Ekiti Knowledge Zone, a future digital knowledge city for innovation, technology development and entrepreneurship for Ekiti youths. Through the EKZ, the digital economy of the State is being positioned for the youths to have a platform through which they could unleash their creative energy and limitless possibility. The construction stage of the project will provide employment for over 100,000 people while close to 20,000 direct jobs will be created when the Zone becomes operational.